Button and button-fastener.



No. 64l ,778. Patented Jan. 23, I900. o. w. KETGHUM.

BUTTON AND BUTTON FASTENEB.

(Application filed Sept. 30, 1897.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES W/wm TOR MMZL 7Qu/2/7m.

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OLIVER WVILLIAM KETOHUM, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE RAYMOND BUTTON COMPANY OF BALTIMORE CITY, OF MARYLAND.

BUTTON AND BUTTON-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,778, dated January 23, 1900. A nnlication filed September 30,1897. Serial No. 653,597. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER WILLIAM KETOHUM, a subject of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buttons and Button-Fasteners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in buttons and button-fasteners, and more especially to that class of buttons which are provided with hollow shanks having fasteners securable in said shanks.

The object of my invention is the improveing of a fastener, so that its fastening may be made more certain and regular, and the improvement of the button-bodyin order that the action of combining it with the fastener may be facilitated and the combination strengthened.

My invention comprises, essentially, a button having a shank with one or more holes at or near the bottom of said shank and a multipronged fastener whose prongs are so pointed as to facilitate their entrance into said hole or holes and the bending or clenching said prongs after they have entered said hollow shank. The hollow shank of the button can be made round or oblong and is contracted in area at the holes, so as to form a seat or bed for the clenched or bent prongs and to reduce its size, and in one form of construction may have a bar across the bottom, so as to give additional holding means to the bent prongs. The bottom of the hollow shank can be also made flaring outwardly, if desired, so as to still further facilitate the en trance of the prongs into the hollow shank. The prongs of the fastener are preferably made of wire, and the points are so made as to incline in the direction that it is intended that the prongs shall be bent or clenched. If prongs are to be bent inwardly or toward each other, then the points are inclined in that direction, and if outwardly or away from each other in that direction are the pointed ends of the prongs inclined. I attain these objects by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a plan view of the button which is shown in section in Figs. 2 and 3 as attached to a cloth. Fig. 2 shows a sectional view through A B of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a sectional view taken through 0 D of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows a detail of one form of a staple with its clenching die 9 for bending the prongs inward. Fig. 5 shows another form of a staple with its clenching-die 9 for bending the prongs outward. Fig. 6 isa sectional view of another form of clenching or securing '8 shows a plan view of the stapling as shown in Fig. 7.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

1 is the button-body, to which is attached hollow shank 2, said hollow shank 2 having a contracted section at the outer extremity thereof. In hollow shank 2 are holes or openings 3. Below these openings, at the extremity of hollow shank 2, is the guiding-surface 4:-

5 is a bar secured in hollow shank 2.

6 is the head of a fastener or staple from which protrude prongs 7, the points 8 of which incline in the direction in which the prongs are to be bent. 10 is the cloth to which the button is secured.

The buttons shown in Figs. 7 and 8 have body 1 and round shanks 2, and bar 5 of Fig. 1 is omitted.

The operation of my invention is as follows The prongs 7 of the fastener are driven through the material to which the button is to be secured and into the hole or holes 3 of shank 2 and 2, respectively, and then by means of a clenching-die in the case of staples shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 are bent toward and substantially parallel to one another, thereby seating themselves against the walls of shank 2, and in the case of Fig. 6 prongs 7 are bent toward each other in the same plane, thereby compressing the prongs 7 against the walls of shank 2 and bringing the ends of the prongs together above the bar 5, which will prevent anypossibility of the prongs being drawn out of the shank. In Figs. 5, 7, and 8 prongs '7 are turned outward and substantially in the same line, seating points 8 against the walls of shank z.

I do not wish to limit myself with the combinations herein shown, as my improved fasteners may be used with other forms of buttons and my improved buttons may be used with other forms of multipronged fasteners having different construction of pointed ends and shapes. The button may be used with or without the flaring mouth or guiding-surface at the bottom.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a button and fastener the combination of, a body, a hollow shank attached to said body having at a certain point a contracted section over which said contracted section and against the walls of the said hollow shank the prongs of the fastener may be secured, with a fastener consisting of a plurality of prongs which penetrate the said hollow shank to a point above the said contracted section and are there bent so as to mutually wedge themselves against the walls of the said hollow shank thereby becoming secured therein, substantially as described.

2. In a button and fastener the combination of, a body, a hollow shank attached to said body having at a certain point a contracted section over which said contracted section and against the walls of the said hollow shank the prongs of the fastener may be secured, with a fastener consisting of two prongs which penetrate the said hollow shank to a point above the said contracted section and are there bent substantially parallel to each other so as to mutually wedge themselves against the walls of the said hollow shank thereby becoming secured therein, substantially as described.

3. In a button and fastener the combination of, a body, a hollow oblong shank attached to said body having at a certain point a contracted oblong section over which said contracted oblong section and against the walls of the said hollow oblong shank the prongs of the fastener may be secured, with a fastener consisting of a plurality of prongs which enter the said hollow oblong shank to a point above the said contracted oblong section and are there bent so as to mutually wedge themselves against the walls of the said hollow oblong shank thereby becoming secured therein, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OLIVER WILLIAM KE"ClIUM.

Witnesses:

C. W. \VISNER, WILLIAM W. VARNEY. 

